The Bishop of Lincoln received the following written answer on 31st March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Lincoln asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to support and incentivise farmers in England to register in environmental land management schemes.
Continue reading “Bishop of Lincoln asks about support for farmers to register for land management schemes”
The Bishop of Bristol took part in a debate on a report from the Modern Slavery Act 2015 Committee on 28th March 2025, advocating for improvements to corporate accountability in supply chains:
The Lord Bishop of Bristol: My Lords, I, too, speak as a member of the review committee on the Modern Slavery Act in this 10th anniversary week. It was world-leading legislation, as we have heard. I also rise in the week that the Church commemorates Harriet Monsell, founder of the Anglican Community of St John Baptist, Clewer, a community which, from its 19th century inception, had as a core vocation the care of female victims of human trafficking. That community has for several years funded training of community groups across the United Kingdom to notice the trafficked people—women, men and children—hiding in plain sight in their midst and to act on their behalf. Clewer has also produced apps, notably for car washes and nail bars, giving assurance on their labour practices and suppliers. In today’s debate, that is where I would like to focus my remarks.
I draw attention to Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act, which imposes a duty on companies supplying goods or services that have a turnover of at least £36 million to
“prepare a slavery and human trafficking statement”
every financial year. The statement should set out the steps that the business is taking to address and prevent the rise of modern slavery in its operations and supply chains. I know that some take that commitment very seriously.
Continue reading “Bishop of Bristol calls for improved accountability in business to combat modern slavery”The Bishop of Lincoln received the following written answer on 28th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Lincoln His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support farmers to manage land for both food and nature following the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive.
Continue reading “Bishop of Lincoln asks about closure of Sustainable Farming Incentive”
On 27th March 2025, the Bishop of Newcastle spoke at the second reading of the Employment Rights Bill, welcoming the bill and emphasising the need to enable workers to flourish in order to grow the economy:
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, I am glad to speak in this Second Reading. I look forward to the maiden speeches and welcome new Members to your Lordships’ House.
Some years ago, I undertook research on the apostle Paul and work. Paul was never one to shy away from hard work and spoke of the personal cost of his tent making business, describing it as wearisome and fraught with the challenges of local politics. Two thousand years later, we continue to live amid diverse uncertainties.
The desire to make work pay and improve workers’ rights, as proposed by this Bill, must pay attention to the obvious: people who work are human beings. A strong economy needs resilient workers. As we scrutinise this legislation, we do so affirming that workers matter. If we get this right, we can move closer to a society in which people are viewed with inherent value and dignity. When people are valued and supported in what they do, they contribute to greater economic flourishing.
Continue reading “Employment Rights Bill: Bishop of Newcastle welcomes improvements to workers’ rights”
The Bishop of Leicester asked a question on the government’s planned welfare reforms and the DWP’s report on a resultant increase in relevant poverty on 27th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, I appreciate the work that the Government are doing to stimulate the economy and to get people back into work. I understand the dilemma that the Government face with the spiralling costs of welfare. But I am left to wonder: how is it that the DWP’s own impact assessment, which I understand includes the £1 billion investment that the Minister referred to, does also state that 250,000 people will be pushed into relative poverty, including 50,000 children? How can the Government of one of the richest countries in the world justify policies that push people into poverty?
Continue reading “Bishop of Leicester asks about impacts of welfare reform”
The Bishop of Sheffield asked a question on the possible introduction of a guardianship scheme for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children on 26th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, I declare an interest as the patron of ASSIST Sheffield, a charity which supports refugees and asylum seekers in our city of sanctuary. What consideration has the Minister given to the introduction of a guardianship scheme, such as the one piloted in Scotland, to provide specialist support to unaccompanied children seeking asylum—not least given their acute vulnerability if accommodated in hotels?
Continue reading “Bishop of Sheffield asks about guardianship scheme for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children”
The Bishop of Sheffield asked a question on investment in Doncaster Sheffield airport on 26th March 2025, during a discussion on the recent closure of Heathrow airport due to a electricity substation fire
The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, last week’s events surely demonstrate how urgently we need strong regional transport infrastructure to complement and supplement airports in and around London. To that end, I am deeply grateful to the Government for their public commitment to the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport. At the risk of a different stretch, can the Minister reassure the House that the Government will deliver on that commitment by ensuring adequate financial investment to support the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and the City of Doncaster Council in getting flights off the ground once again?
Continue reading “Bishop of Sheffield asks about investment in Doncaster-Sheffield airport”
The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 26th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer from Baroness Gustafsson on 11 March (HL5279):
The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 26th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made on the proposal to deliver a gambling ombudsman, as set out in the White Paper High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age, published 27 April 2023.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about proposal to set up a gambling ombudsman”The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 26th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government:
The Church of England in Parliament 
You must be logged in to post a comment.